Pages

Watcher'sQuest

The Watcher's Quest TrilogyAll three books are represented here. The Watcher, The Seeker and The Finder. All are available in most bookstores or can be ordered ar your favourite store. They are also available on Kindle (in the USA, Canada and other countries) and via Kobo (Canada) To connect to Kindle and Kobo to order or to browse my books available as e-books, please click on the My E-BOOKS tab on this site. The links beside each book will take you right there!

How it started:

This fantasy series began when I read an article about some of the
strange environmental art that was going on in the world. I wondered what it would
be like if one of my characters had an artist father who was working on an
environmental art piece. I, like many people, have always been fascinated by
the famous Stonehenge site in England. I began to research stone circles and
found many scattered all over the British Isles. I decided my character's
artist dad would be working on a huge large acrylic "stone circle" in
a pasture across the road from their bee farm, near a small wooded area and
stream.

Emma's mother has inherited the bee farm farm her estranged father and has taken over the honey making business. But all is not well in the family. Emma's sister Summer is chronically ill and the doctors they have taken her to, have no answers for Emma or her parents. Emma has an intense need to watch over her family and especially her little sister. Emma knows deep inside that she is the only one who can save Summer's life - but how?Add to this story, an eccentric neighbour on a nearby farm; a dark-haired boy who seems to be lurking around the farm; secrets kept by many people in the nearby prairie hamlet of Bruid; and a "henge" that seems to be attracting storms, lightning and frightening energies - that invade Emma's dreams - I knew I had plenty to work with!

BOOK ONE: THE WATCHER

The Watcher is now available on KINDLE and KOBO and will soon be on other e-bookstores online. It was originally published by Kids Can Press. You can also buy hardcover and paperback copies through Amazon.To connect to Kindle and Kobo to order or browse, please click on the My E-BOOKS tab on this site. The links beside eash book will take you right there!

THE STORY:

"IT BEGINS….

The owl flies high above the ground, wings whuffting softly
in the muggy air.

Below him, a wide quilt of amber, green and purple fields
flashes by, the road winding through it like a gray ribbon. Along that ribbon,
a small figure on a bicycle coasts toward Sweeney’s bee farm away from the town
of Bruide, a drab square some distance off. The owl allows the bicycle to skim
past under him, then he turns slowly, swoops down, and glides silentlybehind.

The
girl pedals quickly, her short white hair lifting away from her narrow
face.As she reaches Sweeney’s field,
she raises one arm and waves. A man stands up from his work and waves back. The
girl picks up speed for the next quarter mile, avoiding the puddles from the
late night rainstorm, then turns at a narrower ribbon that leads to the bee
farm.

The owl swoops up, turns and glides into
Sweeney’s hay loft to wait for the darkness."

Fifteen-year-old Emma has long suspected that something is not
quite as it should be in her life. With her long, pale face and white hair, she
looks nothing like her parents or frail younger sister. She acts nothing like
them either. While her parents happily pursue their daily routines, Emma senses
danger. She knows she must watch over the family day and night -- but why, she
doesn't know.

Things spin out of control when Emma takes a summer job caring
for an eccentric elderly neighbour and is drawn into playing a strange board
game She's suddenly plagued by surreal, frightening dreams that begin to invade
her waking hours. Emma is soon hurtled from her quiet farm life into strange
worlds of intrigue and terror. As she becomes a participant in a bizarre game of
life and death, the mystery surrounding her is solved ... and her future
decided.

A few characters who have an immediate impact on the story are:

Summer - Emma's sister, who is suffering from a debilitating illness that the medical world cannot seem to find a cure for.

Emma's dad, Dennis Sweeny - who is building a Plexiglas stone henge in the cow pasture across from the bee farm that her mother recently inherited. He has no idea what magic and chaos his henge will bring forth.

Digital art by Margaret Buffie

The new neighbours - the old and enormous invalid, Poppy Maxin and his son, Albert. Albert has opened an herb farm called "The Green Alchemist." Emma has agreed to read to the bedridden and ominous Poppy for a few hours every day in order to bring some much needed money while her mother builds up her honey business. When Emma walks into the farmhouse at The Green Alchemist she is stunned to see that every inch of the walls are painted with amazing plants and trailing vines.

Emma's grandfather, long gone from their lives was called The Keeper. He ran the bee farm for years and had a magical bond with the bees. Emma remembered her grandfather turning toward her, calmly covered in a swarm of his beloved bees.

Finalist - Independent Publisher Book AwardsShortlisted, Canadian Library Assoc. Young Adult Canadian Book
AwardChosen - New York Public Library, Books for the Teen AgeChosen - Our Choice Canadian Children's Book CentreNominated - McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award

The storm at the bee farm's stone henge:

Digital art by Margaret Buffie﻿

A FEW EXCERPTS FROM REVIEWS OF THE WATCHER:

REVIEW: ...Emma is a familiar Buffie heroine, a child
psychologically at risk, seeking her place in things and finding it through the
aid of the fantastical. The sub-themes of alienation and belonging are
underscored by Emma's entrapment in what her mother describes as the
"Borderland", that sometimes dangerous space between childhood and adulthood.
Buffie, winner of the Vicky Metcalf Award, depicts the game world in a vivid and
almost painterly fashion. She weaves such a sophisticated fantasy that it isn't
entirely clear which characters we should be rooting for. Although this might
prove disquieting for some, Emma's powerful need to watch over her family is an
overridingly compelling premise from beginning to end. Quill and Quire

REVIEW: ... Now, in the Watcher, several novels later, Buffie
confidently creates an entire world of fantasy. ... It allows Buffie to
establish the importance of game playing as the metaphor that dominates her
story: games with often outrageous rules, and players with roles hardly known
even to themselves. In some ways, It feels like Lewis Carroll with the Queen of
Hearts in full control. Like Alice, Emma is confused and distressed, but Buffie
shows that Emma and even her family never really escape the rabbit hole. From a
world centered on humans in the opening chapter, Buffie skillfully navigates
step by step from the solid ground of a world governed by gravity and expected
behavior and understanding, to an existence where Emma can't separate dreams
from reality. Taking her fantasy from Norse and Anglo-Saxon mythology, Buffie
adroitly conjures up this confusing world going back and forth from worldly
adventure and fright to supernatural powers. National Post

REVIEW: A teenager and her little sister discover that they are
pieces in a game played across worlds in this suspenseful tale from the Canadian
author of The Dark Garden . Suddenly, Emma is shuttling between her world and
another, where two moons hang in the sky and overheard conspirators discuss a
Game, and a Child in chilling terms. .... From ominous beginning to tense climax
this is a page turner. Kirkus

REVIEW: Filled with suspense, adventure, and colorful characters,
this story will appeal to readers of Franny Billingsley's The Folk Keepe
(Atheneum, 1999) and will entertain fans of the genre. While a familiarity with
Celtic myths is not necessary to enjoy the story, those who know the tales will
delight in finding fresh interpretations of characters rarely brought to life in
children's literature.- School Library Journal

REVIEW: A terrific story with just enough ties to reality and Faerie
to make us suspend disbelief. Children’s Literature 2000

REVIEW: Buffie's way with words ... lend quirky insight into
suprahuman existence and keep the reader engaged to the end. NAPRA 2001

REVIEW: Fans of Buffie's earlier work and those readers enticed by
the title ... will find this book hard to put down. VOYA 2001

REVIEW: The summer that her parents move to Grandpa MacFey's farm,
15-year-old Emma finds that nothing will ever be the same again. Her mother has
become the keeper of her dead father's bees, her father is building a strange
sculpture in a nearby field, and her sister Summer is fading away. Who are The
Watchers? Emma knows that they are not the people she has grown up with --- or
are they? She alone in her family has the strange birthmark, two moons with an
arrow shaft through them. When Tom Krift comes to work for her father, Emma
discovers that he also bears the birthmark. Is her father's sculpture, which he
has named Bruide Henge, a portal to another world? Who are the strange people
who have suddenly appeared in the village and who inhabit Emma's dreams? Emma
seeks answers from Tom Krift who claims that he too is a Watcher and that they
must save Summer. Can she trust him, or is he part of the plot to harm her
sister and her family? Emma's life spins out of control when she takes a job
caring for an eccentric elderly neighbor and becomes involved in the board game
Fidchell. Emma proves herself a worthy opponent. However, does she have the
courage to play out the real game of life and death that will draw in each
member of her family as she tries to understand her role in this frightening new
magical world? Once again, Winnipeg writer and artist Margaret Buffie has taken
seeming ordinary people and thrust them into a bizarre, magical world to create
a frightening and intriguing story. Reviewed by Audrey Marie Danielson for
teenreads.com

Some Readers comments:

This summer I went to Canada, where I first read your first two
books of The Watchers Quest. I love the trilogy. Every time I
read it I get the same thrill and excitement of the Adventure. It ranks up there
with Harry Potter and I am a big fan of that. I think that you should make a
movie of the books. It would be amazing! A reader from Maryland,
USA

I have read The Watcher and The Seeker
... I am however distraught that I cannot find any information on the third book
of the trilogy of which I have heard rumored as The Finder. I was wondering if
you could help me ... by letting me know if the third book is indeed coming out
and when it might be. As an avid reader and inspired young writer I was
fortunate to come across your books about a year ago. I enjoyed them with the
deepest pleasure and am hooked and hanging on a cliff waiting to see what will
become of Tom and Emma and all the beloved characters of whom I truly felt a
part of their worlds while reading the books. A READER "Patiently waiting
for the return of the Watcher"

I just wanted to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading your
books. I was immensely impressed. I have read
many fantasy novels by wonderfully talented writers, and yours are definitely
two of them. I spent all of the night reading The Seeker! Both of the books are
simply enthralling and worth the read. I love being able to identify with Emma
at the beginning of The Watcher, even though I don't talk as much as she, like
she did in The Seeker. :) And I love Tom; I can't wait for him to finally admit
his feelings for Emma. They have to get together, I know they're made for each
other! But even without the romance in the first two books, they make the
beginning of a wonderful series ... once again, congratulations on creating two
(and hopefully a third) marvelous fantasy novels. Cydney, 15, United
States

This is my first time writing an email to someone. I guess I'm
lucky your my first, since you are one of my favorite authors. Okay, here I go!
I always have my nose in a book, specifically fantasy wise. It was lucky how I
found your books. I was in a store in St.Andrews, N.B. I was looking at the
bookshelves, never mind anything else that caught my eye. None of the books
seemed to be of interest to me, until I caught sight of a novel called The
Seeker. I figured out that there were two others to the trilogy. So, I bought
The Watcher. I was so happy! And all the while I was camping, I couldn't put it
down! That's how good it was. While everyone was having fun swimming and
playing, I sat in a lawn chair, reading for hours. Emma's such an interesting
heroine. Out of all the books I've ever read, she reminds me of people I know,
like me. And the writing is very good. It was so vivid, almost real. My family
actually had to make me go someplace so I'd leave the book alone. Sadly, the
book came to an end after three days of reading. I wanted to go back to the
store to get the second book ... I got my chance a few weeks later. I was
camping in Shediac ... one day my mother took me into the bookstore. It was
enormous! I dragged my mom through sections of books. My results of finding your
book: zip. I kept turning around, only to find more books. I almost screamed. We
finally asked for help. The lady told us they had it. I told my mom I'd
literally attack anyone holding the book. Eventually, after about roughly 40
minutes, we found it. I was SO happy!!! From a fan of yours in New
Brunswick, Jessica

..I have never been that interested in books until I started
reading yours. I thought about many authors (for an author study) I could
research, but you were my first choice. The main reason is because many of my
friends, family and teachers suggested your books. Although I have only read two
of your books, they have been everything people told me and more. I have also
recommended your books to others. I read "The Watcher" in about three days. I couldn't put it down until the very
last page. Even when I was finished, I kept thinking about the story and the
characters, and what might happen next. I read "The Warnings" in about five
days. While I was reading it, I had trouble remembering my own life, and just
thought about living in the book. I just started reading "Who is Frances Rain?"
and I don't want to stop until I get to the end. My favourite thing about your
books are the characters. They are so real, and yet they still have a
supernatural twist. I can't wait until I get to start another of your books ...
Thank you for writing such wonderful books for me and so many other people to
enjoy. Sam from BC

I'm fifteen years old and have read your novel, THE WATCHER. I
found it the most exhilarating and imaginative book I have ever read.
Sarah, Alberta

Hi! I love your books. You're a great writer! The way you mix
magical worlds and real worlds together makes them seem so real. I'm addicted to
The Watcher's Quest. Kelly

I just had to write and tell you that you're my favorite author! I
love all your books. But my favorites would have to be all of "THE WATCHER'S
QUEST". They are the books that I read, and will continue to read, over and over
again. I love the characters. They are just so endearing. I first read the books
when I was 15 years old and now, at 18 they still remain my favorite. Thank you
sooo much for sharing your stories with me and the world. An inspiring me to
write as well. "Angels Turn Their Backs" was the book that helped me most,
with my social anxiety. For a long time I wondered why it was so hard for me to
be out in public when there were a lot of people. Breaking into cold sweats and
having to repeat the words "in and out" to remind myself how to breath while my
heart beat fast. Eventually there were few places that I felt comfortable and
safe going to. The library being one of those places. And that's where I
discovered "Angels Turn Their Backs". It helped me to realize and conquer my
problems and fears. It even inspired me to write a poem with the same name.
Anyway. Thanks again! Hope all is well for you. Sincerely and with much love,
Kristie N.

BOOK TWO:THE SEEKER

The second novel in the trilogy is available now on KINDLE and will soon be on other e-bookstores. It was originally published by Kids Can Press and the rights now belong to me. You can also buy hardcover and paperback copies through Amazon.

The story of Emma continues:

Who had power had all but
his soul

Who thirsted for power
drank only dustWho feared power found it
in others

Who hid in power’s shadow
viper be

Who turned from power gave
his soul to yee

Written by Cill of Barroch
after the Battle of Moling Bridge

Chapter One

I’m standing outside Mom’s
bedroom on the third floor of Argadnel Castel. I’m in my Watcher form. I’m also
invisible and intend to stay this way for awhile. I don’t want anyone to know
I’m back until I know what’s going on. I could try and ooze right through the door, but I’m not very good at that yet.
More than once I’ve gotten caught smack in the middle of a wall or wooden
entrance and had to be hauled out by a disgusted Master. Instead I push the
heavy ebony door open a crack and slide in that way.

Mom’s large chamber is dark except for a streamlight
from the arched ceiling that drops over a hammock bed floating above the black
marble floor. I can hear the soft hush of water from the fountain. Her room is
usually full of light, fresh air and Branwen’s flowers. Now it smells musty,
with a curious smoky edge.

On trembling legs I edge to the side of her bed.
She’s asleep. The angle of light shadows the deep sockets below the fine arches
of her brows. A wild flush of alarm races through me. I barely recognize her.
She’s bone thin. The skin stretched tightly over the sharp bones of her face is
yellowed and waxy. For some time before I left for my Watcher training, Mom was
growing thinner and grayer. I knew she would probably never fully acclimatize
to the light air of Argadnel, but this is bad, very bad.

Emma Sweeney (See The Watcher for the first book about Emma)
has the potential to become an exceptional Watcher, but her instructors are
losing patience with her. Raised by an Earth family, Emma is prone to emotional
behavior that always seems to get the better of her Watcher instincts.

Emma's Earth mother, Leto, is dying on the Island world of Argadnel.
Longing to be reunited with her human daughter, who was stolen at birth, Leto
has lost the will to live. Emma has pledged to find the missing child and
restore order to her adopted family's life. But the quest becomes a dangerous
race when Emma realizes she isn't the only one searching for the child.

"In The Seeker, the exciting second volume of Margaret
Buffie's trilogy, The Watcher's Quest Series, Emma, Tom and their allies become
pawns in The Game, played by power hungry beings for whom victory must be had -
at any price."
I won't add more, as I can't give too much away!

Shortlisted, McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award

Chosen: The New York Public Library for their 74TH Annual Books
for the Teen Age

Chosen: VOYA'S 18th Annual List of the Best In Science Fiction
and Fantasy for the Young Adult Reader This list "features books for the
very young teen and also reaches out to the older teen with books that challenge
and inspire."

Chosen - Our Choice Canadian Children's Book Centre

Chosen - PSLA's Young Adult Top Forty Fiction List

A FEW REVIEWS OF THE SEEKER:

REVIEW: Emma Sweeney, a 16 year old Watcher who doesn't know who
she really is, was not supposed to have bonded deeply with her Earth family. But
as she watches her adopted mother die, Emma vows to find her missing sister and
reunite her entire family, now far-flung across the worlds. Emma undertakes this
quest hampered by an identity crisis that will resonate with author Margaret
Buffie's preteen readership. This is the second book of The Watcher's Quest
fantasy trilogy. Emma's quest begins when she upsets the powerful Game Player
Fergus. Desperate, Emma challenges Fergus to a magical board game called
Fidchell and, surprisingly wins. Her quest continues but must now be played out
in a life-sized version of Fidchell. Emma must seek her sister, while Fergus and
his arch-enemy/companion secretly play an overarching game against each other.
This is one of the ways Buffie elevates what could have been a standard quest
narrative. Emma is playing a game within a game, within a game. Buffie also
invents beautifully imagined worlds, exquisite villains, and a cast of
delightfully improbable quest companions, including Cill, a sweet pile of
walking leaves. Emma wants to see the world in black and white but Buffie weaves
in shades of grey, which puzzles her protagonist. Against the grey, our hero
obsesses about whom to trust. Who are her real friends? And most critically, can
she trust her own instincts? The answer is sometimes yes, sometimes no. The
ending which is tied up without being strangled, intriguingly raises as many
questions as it answers. Teresa Toten, Quill and Quire, August 2002

REVIEW: ...Emma is a headstrong, appealing narrator, and Buffie
uses her first person perspective to smoothly provide background for readers
unfamiliar with the first volume. The characters have depth and complex
motivations, keeping the protagonist and readers guessing about who her true
friends may be ... this is a good choice for sophisticated fantasy readers, with
strong appeal for gaming fans looking for a darker, more complex story than
Diana Wynne Jones's The Homeward Bounders. School Library Journal
(USA)

Buffie's ability to keep the story moving without a lag in the
action also helps this book to stand on its own. A welcome choice for fantasy
buffs. American Library Association

I just finished reading your books "The Watcher" and "The Seeker",
which were given to me for Christmas. They were fantastic! Your books have
always been a welcome escape from everyday life for me. I found the characters
from your new books very endearing. Emma is hard not to love, with her
"slightly" big mouth and her loyalty to her Earth (or Eorthe) family. Tom was my
favorite character, I think. Such an enigma at times, and near the end of The
Seeker, it is so so hard to know if he's to be trusted! The reader can
find themselves relating completely to what Emma is feeling at the time. Your
books are impossible to put down, because you just have to know what is
going to happen to everyone! Cill was a very loveable character, as was Gyro. I
cannot wait until I read the last book of the trilogy. I always find that after
reading books by other authors for awhile, returning to your writing is like
coming home again after being away for years, to things that are familiar and
safe. I think that teenagers like myself can relate fully to the things your
characters go through, which is what make your writing so welcomed by my age
group. Your books even have a way, at times, of making lost teenagers feel less
alone, making them feel that there is someone who does understand their
troubles. I hope you continue writing for a long time, and look forward to
reading other books by you. Sarah from Ontario

This summer I went to Canada, where I first read your first two
books of The Watchers Quest. I love the trilogy. Every time I
read it I get the same thrill and excitement of the Adventure. It ranks up there
with Harry Potter and I am a big fan of that. I think that you should make a
movie of the books. It would be amazing! A reader from Maryland,
USA

I am a high school teacher from Erie, PA. I recently picked up your
books THE WATCHER and THE SEEKER and thoroughly enjoyed them. I saw these books
at the local library and thought they looked like something my students would
enjoy. I didn't realize how much they would enjoy them ... I can't wait to see
what happens next to Emma and Tom in the ongoing Game. Sincerely, Mrs.
Lori B.

I just love Emma! I've read both THE WATCHER and THE SEEKER twice
(something I rarely do) and am looking forward to seeing what's in store for
Emma and her friends. Thank you for sharing your gift and writing such a
wonderful story. Natalie R

i just wanted to tell you that so far I've really enjoyed reading
your books called The Watcher's Quest. I've started reading them in the wrong
order - 2, 3, 1 ... but I haven't been able to stop reading which I must say
(as) I don't read much. But I really love the second book. (The Seeker) It's
great. Even though you already knew that I just wanted to tell you myself. I
already can't wait to read the 2nd book again. (No joke its just something about
it. I can't let go. It makes me want to relive it over and over again.) =)
Toni M

BOOK THREE: THE FINDER

The third novel in the trilogy is THE FINDER. It is available now on KINDLE and KOBO will soon be on other e-bookstores. It was originally published by Kids Can Press. You can buy hardcover and paperback copies through Amazon. E-books rights owned by Margaret Buffie.

THE FINAL STORY:

The Story:

Emma Sweeney, now an experienced Watcher, knows she has a mysterious link to a world beyond
the portal off the Island of Argadnel, but what is it and where can it be?

When her entire family vanishes from the island, she knows they have been taken to this new world. Why? She must find them!

When she stumbles into this world with her friend Pictree Bragg -
against the orders of Histal, Master of the Watcher Campan - she finds a place
of danger, intrigue and deadly Game Playing. Everything she values is at stake and everyone she loves is in terrible danger. Worst of all, Emma's not sure if she
can trust her friend and Watcher Tom - for she soon realizes he's keeping
secrets from her again.

Emma's powers are constantly tested and threatened in this new
world. Can she solve the ominous puzzles set up in the vast and treacherous
maze? Vans he save her family? It seems an impossible task, but when Emma feels her weakest, she discovers an inner
strength she did not realize she had ...

Winner: McNally Robinson Book for Young People Award

A FEW REVIEWS FOR THE FINDER:

REVIEW:As the third book in the acclaimed trilogy,"The Watcher's
Quest", this book rejoins Emma for the most dangerous quest of the series. We
watch Emma flawlessly follow Joseph Campbell's stages in hero quest as she
answers the call to adventure, undergoes trials, discovers her father, (actually
that was in the Seeker! MB) has a death like experience, and ...(I've left this
bit out as it gives away too much of the plot!MB). All this is with the help of
her friend and sometimes love, Watcher Tom ... The Finder is an
intriguing and well-written conclusion to "The Watcher's Quest Trilogy". Fantasy
lovers will enjoy this book, but they would be well advised to begin at the
beginning of the trilogy. Childrens' Literature 2004REVIEW:In this final volume in the trilogy, Emma is trying to save
the world that she has discovered from an evil Game-playing genius. She must
risk her life and the lives of her friends and family to finish the quest and
win the Game ... This is a well-written and exciting adventure ... a rollicking
story with plenty of aliens, danger and conflict for fans of the series.
School Library Journal 2004

REVIEW:This is definitely the best of The Watcher's Quest books.
The action is breathtaking, and moves quickly from one situation to another. But
more than that, we feel for Emma - her anger, her pain, her love - as she
struggles to find herself and to deal with her emotions. As with all the
Watcher's Quest books, the worlds are vividly imagined and the characters
interesting. Mom's rating - 5 wands! - wandsandworlds.com 2004

REVIEW:The Finder is the third book in "The Watcher's Quest"
trilogy. In this complicated, cunning finale, Emma Sweeney is sent to spend a
week with her human family on Argadnel, another world. Against direct orders,
she enters a cave portal there and thus sets in motion another Game in which
powerful druids battle for control of worlds ... Video game players will revel
in this book's fast paced action, leaps into the unknown, character morphing and
setting meltdowns. Heroes with "magickal" powers, characters described in
infinite detail, and the excitement of competitive gaming will attract both boys
and girls who long to be the honourable hero who succeeds in the face of almost
insurmountable odds through gritty determination and dogged persistence, not to
mention a little luck ... A love story is interwoven through the book, too. Emma
is initially a wilful, hot-headed, immature girl. Defying her teachers, she
takes off into the unknown almost to spite them, deciding that she will no
longer be a student Watcher ... Humility initially escapes her. It is only in
the end, when Emma admits that she is playing a Game and not going on a quest,
that she 'wins" the Game.There are many (countless) other characters each more
weird and wonderful than the last. None change and develop the way Emma does,
but rather they contribute extremely colourful background to Emma's adventures.
Some are not what they seem ... The intricate connections between these players
of the Game are extremely complex ... Strong themes of the necessity of
discovering one's own identity and persisting in the face of danger and defeat
dominate this novel. The powerful pull of family love, though, is ultimately the
basis of Emma's success, as she completes her tasks to save her family and to
discover who she really is. For those middle school readers willing to persist
with its many complications and to puzzle solve as they read, The Finder will
provide a satisfying and compelling story. Canadian Materials 2004

RECOMMENDATION: The Finder (Print-Fiction). Buffie, Margaret. (The
Watcher's Quest Series). Kids Can Press (UTP), 2004. 406 p. ISBN 1-55337-671-4
($16.95 hdc.). ISBN 1-55337-672-2 ($8.95 pbk.). (CAN) This third book in The
Watcher's Quest trilogy can stand alone. Emma and Tom enter a cave on Argadnel,
another world, where Emma must find the four wands (Earth, Water, Wind, and
Fire) because everything Emma values and everyone she loves depends on her
success. The adventure brings into play all of Emma's experience and her wits,
as well as assistance from others. The fast-paced action includes character
morphing and setting meltdowns. Heroes with magical powers and a love story are
interwoven into the plot. The powerful themes of discovering one's own identity
and persisting in the face of danger are dominant. The enduring strength of
family love that gives Emma the power to fulfill her quest is refreshing.
Suggested Use: Grade 9; Imaginative and Literary Context; Personal and
Philosophical Context. Gov't of Saskatchewen Learning Resources

READER'S COMMENTS FOR THE FINDER AND THE WATCHER'S QUEST
TRILOGY:

I just finished reading "The Watcher's Quest Trilogy" and I
absolutely loved it. I first heard about your books a few years back when I read
"The Watcher" and I really liked it. At the time I didn't know it was part of a
trilogy. So about two years later, I found "The Seeker." You can imagine the joy
I felt that you wrote a sequel to "The Watcher" and was presently writing a
third book, "The Finder." As I neared the end of the final book I found myself
not wanting the story to end, because I loved the characters and story so much.
It was an escape from the stress of school and daily life. The thrill,
excitement, and realism of the story pulls me in every time I read it. So I
guess I'm just writing to say how much I appreciate the hard work and effort you
put into this story. I'm also writing to beg you to write more books about Emma
and this Alternate Universe. I don't know how likely that is, but I thought I'd
try and ask. :) Your Avid Fan, Yvonne

I love your books sooooooo much! I'm a 14 year old girl in Ontario,
and just a month ago, our class had to do a novel study. I was planing to get a
long book because I'm weird that way i guess?!?! I saw a thicker book called
"The Seeker" and signed it out. I read it so fast and loved it, My report turned
out real good too! Determined to read more of your work, i researched on you and
the book and discovered there was a prequel to it called the Watcher, so i went
to our public library (cause our school didn't have it) to read it. But when i
went there i saw The finder...got soooo excited.....and i mean that...and i got
that one instead. Sorry,i haven't read the Watcher yet, but i'm sure it's
awesome. I started reading the Finder right as we got in the car to drive back
home. Since it was late and we had school the following day, i had to put it
down. So the next day of school i was waiting all day just to get home to read!
Once home, i plopped myself on the couch and read for hours and hours until i
was finished! It was even better than the Seeker!!! (The Seeker was still
amazing) I loved everything, if i where to tell you everything i enjoyed about
it, this e-mail would go on forever! Now I'm not a book worm...accually it's
hard for me to read even one book a month, but this one was different! Cause
just after i finished The Finder i told ALL my friends, whether they wanted to
hear it or not, about The Finder, they said it sounded really interesting and
they're going to read it as well. This story tops Harry potter and The Lord of
the Rings combined (I mean those stories were great too). And i strongly
encourage you or someone else to send a movie script to a person so they can
make a movie out of it. I would pay anything to see it! They're making sooooo
many movies out of books nowadays like...Harrypotter, Lord of the Rings,
Confessions of a Teenage drama queen, and now A series of unfortunate Events,
next i'm hoping to see "Coming out soon... The Watchers Trilogy." I'm planning
to read some of your other books as well, i love your writing style. And those
big and uncommon words you used like 'emaciated', where quite interesting to
look up in the dictionary... it widened my vocabulary!!! If you make a movie out
of this Watchers Trilogy, i guarantee you it will attract many people, because
it's got fantasy animal creatures, different tribes and clanns with a wide
variedly of Human like creatures, and characters you love to love and love to
hate!!! Think of all the special effects!!! It would be the picture of the
year!!!! I urge you to try to make this a movie, if at all possible, and if
not...keep writing more and adding on to the Quest. Can you let me know if you
are going to write a sequel to the finder??? I'll read it in the blink of an
eye. Thanks for taking your time to read my excruciating long e-mail (Ha Ha),
and i look forward to a sequel (or MOVIE!) From: Jessica

I just finished reading your books "The Watcher" and "The Seeker",
which were given to me for Christmas. They were fantastic! Your books have
always been a welcome escape from everyday life for me. I found the characters
from your new books very endearing. Emma is hard not to love, with her
"slightly" big mouth and her loyalty to her Earth (or Eorthe) family. Tom was my
favorite character, I think. Such an enigma at times, and near the end of The
Seeker, it is so so hard to know if he's to be trusted! The reader can
find themselves relating completely to what Emma is feeling at the time. Your
books are impossible to put down, because you just have to know what is
going to happen to everyone! Cill was a very lovable character, as was Gyro. I
cannot wait until I read the last book of the trilogy. I always find that after
reading books by other authors for awhile, returning to your writing is like
coming home again after being away for years, to things that are familiar and
safe. I think that teenagers like myself can relate fully to the things your
characters go through, which is what make your writing so welcomed by my age
group. Your books even have a way, at times, of making lost teenagers feel less
alone, making them feel that there is someone who does understand their
troubles. I hope you continue writing for a long time, and look forward to
reading other books by you. Sarah from Ontario

This summer I went to Canada, where I first read your first two
books of The Watchers Quest. I love the trilogy. Every time I
read it I get the same thrill and excitement of the Adventure. It ranks up there
with Harry Potter and I am a big fan of that. I think that you should make a
movie of the books. It would be amazing! A reader from Maryland,
USA

I have read every book you have ever published and I enjoyed all of
them. My favorites were probably the first two books in the WATCHERS QUEST
trilogy. I just wondered do you (know) when The Finder will be released? I hope
it is soon because I can't wait to read it! Isabelle

Oh my gosh! I loved the book "The Seeker" ... I didn't know that
there was a prequel! There should be a warning on books like: Warning: This book
has a prequel! Beware! ... You have an amazing talent! I can't wait to read the
prequel! (the Watcher) Ash

I love your books. You're a great writer! The way you mix magical
worlds and real worlds together makes them seem so real. I'm addicted to The
Watcher's Quest. I just finished The Seeker this morning and I was wondering
when you think The Finder will be out. I can't wait to read it. Kelly

I just love Emma! I've read both The Watcher and The Seeker twice
(something I rarely do) and am looking forward to seeing what's in store for
Emma and her friends. Thank you for sharing your gift and writing such a
wonderful story. Natalie

I have just finished reading all three books in the Watcher's Quest
series. They are fabulous books. I honestly had trouble putting your books down
as I just wanted to keep reading until I was finished. I love the imagery and
the "realness" you put into your writing. And your imagination and the creation
of such beautiful worlds. I especially enjoyed Cill and her character and the
fact she is leaves. Thank You! Maureen from Vancouver BC ... Oct
2005

Dear Ms. Buffie, A couple of weeks ago I read and finished your
book, The Seeker, it was fabulous! Right now I am reading The Finder and,
although I am only a couple of chapters into this book I know it will be
wonderful! I am at the part when Emma and Pictree Bragg have crossed the bridge
of light. I love how when you write your books it makes me feel as if there are
other worlds, with people who can do spectacular things, like becoming invisible
or flying on large birdlike beings like Badba does. It makes me feel as if there
might be a "Game" going on somewhere with rulers fighting over new lands It
seems like all I have to do is look up at the sky... I hope you write many more
books, you have a lot of talent! Keep up the good work! Sincerely, Brooke
- A grade 7 student from North Dakota

Hello. My name's Nicole, although I prefer Nicki, and I'm a fan of
your "The Watcher's Quest" series. I loved reading those three book so much,
especially the last one, "The Finder". I felt like I was going mentally insane
when I finished it though, because I read at least 10 chapters a day, and I
spent most of my time reading it that I felt like I was in the book, so I guess
you could say I sort of tuned out from reality. I got myself back together soon
after though. I wish there were, really, different worlds like that. I'm always
wishing that there was another book. And that when I finished that book I'd find
another one, because I love those books. I started reading your books because I
went to the library with my best friend for a few hours, and I wanted a series
to read. Then I found your three "The Watcher's Quest" books, and I decided that
since it was like the only interesting looking series I found, I would take them
out and read them. In fact, they were so interesting, that I actually had to pay
for late fees a couple times because I wanted to finish them before I renewed
them. It's only 10 cents a day for every late book, though, thankfully. I also I
had to finish "The Finder" pretty soon though, because unfortunately I have no
clue where I put my library card. I was so into it though, that I finished it in
four days, because whenever I read a chapter, I read another, then it turned
into 10 chapters, and so on. I really enjoyed those books, especially the last
one in the series. I also feel that I can really relate to Emma. I hope you
write another one, and I don't think I'll ever stop wishing there was another
book to the series. I really admire your "The Watcher's Quest" books, and I hope
you'll consider maybe writing another one sometime? Well, thanks for reading
this email, I hope you enjoyed it! : ) Sincerely, Nicki

I just had to write and tell you that you're my favorite author! I
love all your books. But my favorites would have to be all of "THE WATCHER'S
QUEST". They are the books that I read, and will continue to read, over and over
again. I love the characters. They are just so endearing. I first read the books
when i was 15 years old and now, at 18 they still remain my favorite. Thank you
sooo much for sharing your stories with me and the world. And inspiring me to
write as well. Sincerely and with much love, Kristie N.

Hello!

I wanted to thank you for writing The Watcher's Quest trilogy. As ayoung girl, I was an avid reader and The Watcher's Quest has stuckwith me from 9 years old to now at 23. I first read your books atschool, the librarian used to set aside books she thought I would likeand save them for me. Your books were in that pile, and as soon as Iread The Watcher I knew I needed to read the rest. I'm pretty sure itwas your books that introduced me to fantasy (them or Harry Potter),the genre that is still my favourite today.

I have been trying to track down the books from the trilogy for awhile,and finally found used copies on Amazon. I'm very excited toreread them as an adult.

4 comments:

audreyanna
said...

i totally love your books i enjoy reading them i would not mind if i had copies of each and don't have to borrow them from the library all the time i just love your books i read them over and over again and the story never gets boring...........

I fell in love with these books when I was just a child. They painted a picture in my mind and were absolutely breathtaking to read. I'm surprised they're not a bigger deal. I was positive they were bound to make a movie of them someday. Thank you for writing these amazing novels.

I was told by a children's lit prof once, that some of the students in his class, after reading my books, were sure there were ...

Comments are welcome!

At the end of each of my blogs is a small info bar that includes a comments button as well as other buttons. The comments button might say "No comments" which is confusing. This means that so far there have been no comments on that page. It does NOT mean I don't want comments! Feel free to comment anytime.

Translate

Search This Blog

Follow My Blog Updates: You must verify with Feedburner via the email they send to you.